Bloody Stars
by Future Sith'ari
Summary: It was supposed to be just another paid assassination mission. But none of Night Raid could have guessed the horrors that awaited them inside the mansion of Lord DIO...
1. Invite

**Opening Notes: the rule of Stands being visible only to Stand Users will not be in effect here.**

 **XXXXXXXXX**

"This... this is a small fortune." Tatsumi gaped at the bounty Night Raid's latest customer had given them.

Leone grinned and nodded. "It took me a while to get proof, but yeah, women go into that hellhole, and nothing leaves. The guy who gave us this oh so generous donation says his girlfriend is dead because of some guy named DIO."

Najenda took a huff off her cigarette. _Why so much just for one man's life? Losing family, I can understand but this is enough to buy a small castle..._ Exhaling, she came to her decision. "Night Raid will accept this offer."

Leone was ecstatic. She looked at the payment like one would the pearly gates.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

Books had always been an interest of DIO's, ever since he was still human. Part of him wondered how long it would take him to finish every novel in the library of his abode.

The words currently in front of him called themselves legends. But he knew they were so much more. "Red Stone of Aja..." For the briefest of moments, his eyes darted to the Stone Mask on the wall... and the indent on the forehead.

As he sat in his bed, turning the pages illuminated by candles rather than accursed sunlight, the voice of most loyal followers came from the other side of the door.

"Your Excellence..."

"Enter." His eyes did not drift from the printed words as the barriers gave way and a falcon flew through the opening and landed on his shoulder. Two men followed it in.

Ice, ever the sycophant, genuflected with his eyes to the floor, while D'Arby bowed deeply.

"We have visitors, master," the butler informed him.

Ice, per his own norm, was quick to jump into action. "Shall I eliminate them?"

DIO paused for a moment. He didn't read another word, nor did he look away from the book. "No."

The duo looked at him, D'Arby with curious surprise, Ice with utter shock.

"Lord DIO?"

The blonde vampire closed his tome and looked to his guard bird. "Make sure none of them leave, Pet Shop."

The right end of the avian's beak twisted upward into what could be seen as a smirk before flying off through the open doors.

DIO stood up and addressed his servant and zealot, both of whom looked at him with anticipation.

The would-have-been usurper of the Joestars brought both his index fingers to his teeth, and bit down on them.

D'Arby raised an eyebrow, curious to see where this was going. Ice looked horrified at his master being injured, even if it was by his own hand. DIO liked that about Ice. Loyal even past the grave. Perhaps... too loyal.

DIO removed his digits from his molars and showed the wounds. Already, they were healing.

"Look closely."

The two men obeyed. It took a moment, but it became clear. The left wound was closing slightly slower than the right.

"This body, biologically speaking, is not mine," DIO explained. "A century ago, my adoptive brother and I, DIO, had a... falling out. His name was Jonathan Joestar, and this body was his. For the last hundred years, I've been gaining control, perfecting myself. Now it seems I'm closer to that than ever... why not see just how close."

Ice did not like the idea of his master consciously going into danger... but he obeyed nevertheless.

DIO's amber irises drifted to the soul-stealer. "D'Arby. Show our guests the way inside. Nothing more. Nothing less."

The gambler's brother smiled and nodded.

"And Ice..." DIO walked over and placed his book back on its shelf. "Keep them... entertained."

 **XXXXXXXXX**

Mine looked through the scope of Pumpkin. Tatsumi and Leone had taken the precaution of activating their Teigu beforehand, so as not to avoid drawing attention with the screaming and the fire.

"Moron..." her sights focused on the caped armor. "... be careful." Not seeing any immediate danger, she removed her eye from the scope, giving her vision a momentary rest. Before she could do so much as blink, something caught her eye. Out of one of the mansion's windows flew a large bird. Was it a pet? A wild animal he had caught and then let go?

Mine shrugged, deciding that it hardly mattered.

Leone cracked the knuckles of her claws. "Looks like we're... climbing?" The front door opened, revealing nobody on the other side.

Akame gripped Murasame. "He knows we are here."

Leone shrugged. "Then let's go make ourselves at home." The trio walked to the door. "This is a very, very long hallway..."

Tatsumi pointed with one and readied his spear with the other. "Somebody's coming! But there's no killing intent..."

Sure enough, there was a person coming towards them, but as the stranger closed in, they all noticed something. He wasn't walking, but floating. As he smoothly approached, the three assassins took in the details. He wore a white suit, black shirt, and gold rings over his dark shoes. His hair, tall and green. The most offputting detail about him was on his face. From his forehead to his nose, and on his chin, were grey patches. Whether they were tattoos, body paint, or some sort of skin disease, none of them were sure.

 _Does he have a Teigu?_ Tatsumi wondered.

After a few moments, the man levitated to a spot in front of them and ceased his course.

"Are you DIO?" Akame demanded.

The man glanced at her, and gave a smile. "I give you greetings." He put a hand on his chest. "My name is D'Arby. Some call me D'Arby Younger but that won't be necessary. I am the butler of this mansion."

Leone laughed. "With that flying trick and crazy hair of yours, I'm surprised you aren't in a freak show."

D'Arby, it seemed, took no offense to that remark. "So... with Akame here... you all must be Night Raid. And you're going to attack me?"

Rather than a verbal response, the swordswoman gripped her blade with both hands and thrust it forward. Just as it was about to pierce and poison him, it stopped. Akame took a moment to put her surprise aside and notice something. From D'Arby's right shoulder, apparently, a third arm had sprung and gripped the broad sides of Murasame in its fingers.

"Such haste to attack a man who means you no harm," D'Arby said politely. "If you think I'm here to fight, or even stop you, I'm afraid you're sorely mistaken."

Tatsumi stared at the extra limb. _So he **does** have a Teigu._

D'Arby's third arm casually flicked the venomous sword away before retreating back into him and he looked at the new wielder of Incursio. "That armor, you must be Bulat?"

Tatsumi gave no reaction, verbal or physical.

"No. Then you you stole it from him?" D'Arby asked, but his tone suggested he already knew the answer.

Tatsumi was thankful his helmet concealed his face, as it was then contorted with shock. _How can he know I'm not Bulat?! Anybody who could is either me or dead! He has to be bluffing..._

Leone was getting antsy by the lack of violence her evening had presented so far. "Listen, beehive. Why don't you just show us where your boss is, eh?"

D'Arby kept his friendly veneer, but inside his sadism was flaring up. _Lively, the lot of them. Their souls will make fine additions to my collection after Lord DIO is finished with them. Their stories of killing will make Doctor Elliott's recollections as boring as paint drying._

DIO's butler gave them all a small bow. "By all means, you're guests of Lord DIO. Make this place your own."

Akame, despite still feeling no bloodlust from D'Arby, remained skeptical. "You're just going to let us in?"

Beneath D'Arby, the floor seemed to give way, revealing what the Night Raid trio thought was a dark vortex. "You all have no idea what you have gotten yourselves into," he said as he sunk into it. "The sun has set, on both the day, and your lives."


	2. Vanish

**Chapter Two: Vanish**

 **XXXXXXXXX**

Shura was many things. The son of the Prime Minister. A murderer. A rapist. A disgusting excuse of a man. At his core, Shura was a fighter. Traveling for so long, he had learned many things. Many techniques.

As he looked at the body of water before him, he took several controlled breaths, making what seemed to be sparks fly off his boots. He took a step forward... and the soles made contact with the surface of the lake. While most other beings eould have sunk in, he did not. He moved his other foot forward, and it too made contact with the liquid's surface.

Shura grinned to himself. All that Ripple training was, at long last, paying off.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

The trio looked down at the swirling mass that swallowed D'Arby before sealing itself and returning the floor to normal.

Akame wasn't convinced. "We haven't seen the last of him."

Leone was quick to respond. "Duh. C'mon." She walked in. "If they already know we're here, might as well use the invite."

On and on they walked, the stretching hallways seemingly leading them nowhere, but Leone's enhanced nose led them to their destination, and their target. Eventually, they made it to a massive, torch-lit room of stone with columns all throughout it.

Leone sniffed the air. "Someone is here..." she followed her nose, walking around the room while her comrades readied themselves for a fight.

Akame's eyes quickly scanned the chamber, but she found nothing.

Leone, however, casually drove her claws into one of the pillars. The concrete gave way, revealing that she had punctured the neck of a man with pointy ears and a short stature.

He gasped for breath, choking on his own blood. The lioness of Night Raid removed her hand from him, and he went limp. Instantly the room they were in began to change. In a matter of seconds, it seemed to have decreased in size and was well lit.

"What, was it all an illusion?" Tatsumi wondered aloud.

"I'm not sure." Akame looked around. "Everything felt solid." Her eyes drifted until she found writing on the wall.

It read, _The moment you turn around, you will die._

The words struck Akame. This was not a place to make idle threats.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

Unbeknownst to the three, they were being observed. The vampire was enjoying a glass of wine, whilst his butler was in the midst of constructing a new doll to add to his collection.

DIO took the whole situation in with mild interest, while D'Arby's attention was mostly on the armored male.

 _That voice,_ he thought to himself. _It's distorted... yet I cannot help but feel I've heard it before._

 **XXXXXXXXX**

Akame did not look away from the written warning. "Leone. Is anybody else here?"

The blonde used each of her enhanced senses. "No, why?" She looked to her friend... and was horrified. Behind the wielder of Murasame was what seemed to be a skeletal head wearing an executioner's hood with... something protruding from its mouth. It was only there for a moment before vanishing.

Leone began running towards her with an outstretched arm. "AKAME!"

In an instant, the swordswoman was gone. It was as if she had suddenly become invisible.

The next second, a gaping hole appeared in the floor in front of the two other Night Raiders.

Tatsumi grabbed the confused Leone. "We need to move!"

"But... but where did she go?!"

The armored youth managed to pry her from her spot as another hole appeared where she had been standing; it was as if an unseen wrecking ball was swinging around. They sprinted for the door, only for the mysterious presence to strike the wall next to the archway, making them stop.

The air in front of them began to distort and crackle, and then that bony face appeared once more. Its teeth parted, and in its maw was another face. A man with a serious expression and long brown hair.

Leone bared her teeth and pointed at him. "What have you done with Akame?!"

The man looked at them with an unchanging veneer. "To put it in terms you can comprehend, she's gone. For good. Even I don't know where the things I send away end up. And at the moment, I don't care."

Tatsumi brought his arm back and threw his spear at the man. Just like Akame, it vanished as it approached him. Tatsumi did not know what he expected, but he had answered one of his questions. Anything that got near this guy sighed its death certificate. And since he and Leone were both physical fighters...

 _ **"Run!"**_

He grabbed Leone's shoulder, turning her towards the way they had come in.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

"Lord DIO." D'Arby focused on his master. "I think I know who is in the armor."

DIO looked at him. "Oh?"

"Yes. Not too long ago, my brother and I went to a certain combat tournament..."

 _ **XXXXXXXXX**_

 _"I never got why people would want to throw their fists at each other to make a living," Daniel D'Arby, the elder brother said as he and his younger sibling watched the spectacle, General Esdeath seated above them._

 _"I suppose it has something to do with adrenaline," D'Arby responded. The two made for friendly conversation as the two current combatants did not fit the reason they were there; to find any Stand users to join Lord DIO._

 _Daniel looked down at the fighters occupying the ring, and pulled a small pouch of gold from his vest. "This says the green-eyed country boy wins the whole thing."_

 _D'Arby glanced at his elder brother. Sure, he always made bets when possible, but this seemed rather... broad for his modus operandi. Wagering the kid would win one match, sure. But the entire tournament? Had Daniel paid off all the others to take falls? Did he currently have bets with several others, favoring the country native?_

 _"I'll pass, Daniel."_

 _The older brother shrugged and returned the money to his pocket._

 _They watched the fights go on, occasionally sharing a joke about the losers. Eventually, D'Arby Younger found that he had been wise to not bet. The young man Daniel had shown interest in emerged as the victor. He gave a confident, proud smile and proclaimed, "I did it!"_

 _Daniel stood up. "Well, our job is done. Nothing." He walked away. His brother started to follow him, but he stopped and briefly returned his attention to the arena. The winner and Esdeath were exchanging words. The General had a strange look on her face. She snapped a collar around the boy and knocked him out before dragging him off._

 **XXXXXXXXX**

DIO took in D'Arby's recollection... and grinned wickedly. "So, the good General's missing property has seemed to have run away and joined Night Raid." He thought about the Red Stone of Aja for a moment. "What good fortune. The perfect bargaining chip has waltzed right into our door."


End file.
